Prison journalism: My daily prison routine

There is not much I can do to control my situation at my prison. For example, I can’t choose to come and go from my cell when I want.

Rather than let these restrictions defeat me, I remain optimistic and determined to succeed by focusing on the one thing I can control: my daily routine.

Here is what a typical day looks like:

6 a.m.: Wake up. After making my bed, I brush my teeth and wash my face. I use a water heater to make a cup of Folgers coffee and sip it while watching ABC News on my 13-inch flat-screen TV until breakfast.

6:30 a.m.: Breakfast. It’s time to walk with the other residents in two parallel lines to the chow hall for breakfast. Usually we are prepared some combination of eggs, potatoes, milk, beans, tortillas, bread with jelly, oatmeal, grits and Cream of Wheat.

7:15 a.m.: Return to cell. When we come back, I clean my cell, including the floor, sink and toilet, with a rag. We technically are allowed to clean the cell with the door open and pull out all our property boxes and chairs. But in my experience, corrections officers who run the control rooms don’t allow it.

8 a.m.: Exercise. I check my tablet to see if I have any new emails from my mom or friends. Then I get ready for outdoor recreation. We go to an enclosed recreation area for 90 minutes on weekdays and two hours on weekends. I work out different muscle groups through pullups, dips, pushups, squats and lunges, or I focus on my core and abs. I usually exercise four days straight. On my off day, I play basketball. I top 6 feet and can dunk the ball and shoot well.

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10 a.m.: Down time. I come in from recreation for a head count. I get on my tablet and play games: Tesla vs Lovecraft, Drift Legends and Event Horizon. Then I listen to music: rap, hip-hop, hard rock or alternative. I have a small snack, usually a honey bun, strawberry Pop-Tart, bagel or ramen noodles.

11 a.m.: Headcount. Everyone is on lockdown while the count is conducted.

11:30 a.m.: Downtime. After the count clears, a prison tier is opened up for dayroom time. There are two large and two small tables for us and we have time to socialize, shower and use the phone while we’re out of our cells.

1 p.m.: Lunch. We walk to the chow hall for lunch.

1:30 p.m.: Return to cells. We walk back from chow hall in a controlled movement for lockdown in our cells. I prepare my laundry to be dropped off. My pod has its own washer and dryer. We have to provide our own detergent, which I purchase at the commissary.

1:45 p.m.: Relaxation. I take the time for a nap or to play some music. It’s usually pretty quiet, but it can get noisy depending on how many people are walking around on the top tier.

3 p.m.: Another cup of joe. I make more Folgers coffee and then draw a little, working on a portrait, birthday cards or any drawing that I can sell to make money to buy extra food or take care of personal needs.

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4 p.m.: Headcount. Everyone is on lockdown again. This time is usually used for miscellaneous activities such as drawing, watching a little TV or playing music on the tablet.

4:30 p.m.: Dinner delivered. Sack lunches are delivered to our cells. This typically consists of a small bag of chips, one slice of meat, one peanut butter-and-jelly mix, four slices of bread, a cookie and condiments.

5:30 p.m.: Dinner time. I eat my dinner and relax. Sometimes I do something productive like draw, clean or ponder how to maximize profit on an investment. Sometimes I watch TV, usually ESPN or the Travel Channel.

6:30 p.m.: Receive laundry. I fold it and neatly put it away on my shelf.

7 p.m.: Movie time. While relaxing, I get ready for bed, put on my sleepwear (sweats and a shirt), brush my teeth, wash my face and tidy my living area as needed.

8:30 p.m.: Bedtime. I turn off my TV and charge my tablet.

This routine allows me to remain mentally intact and stay busy while also being productive. This helps me serve my sentence in the most comfortable way possible.

Everyone’s routine in prison looks different. I hope that by sharing mine you can know what a day in prison looks like.

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Written by Chad Weinstein for The Prison Journalism Project

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